Spatial dispersal of environmental DNA particles in lentic and marine ecosystems: An overview and synthesis

Knowledge of the transport of environmental DNA (eDNA) particles, including its downstream transport, dispersal, and deposition, is crucial for properly assessing the spatial scale of its signals in the field. Despite the relative progress in research on riverine eDNA transport, the mechanism of eDN...

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Main Authors: Toshiaki S. Jo, Hiroaki Murakami, Ryosuke Nakadai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:Ecological Indicators
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25003991
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author Toshiaki S. Jo
Hiroaki Murakami
Ryosuke Nakadai
author_facet Toshiaki S. Jo
Hiroaki Murakami
Ryosuke Nakadai
author_sort Toshiaki S. Jo
collection DOAJ
description Knowledge of the transport of environmental DNA (eDNA) particles, including its downstream transport, dispersal, and deposition, is crucial for properly assessing the spatial scale of its signals in the field. Despite the relative progress in research on riverine eDNA transport, the mechanism of eDNA dispersal in lentic (ponds and lakes) and marine (oceans and coasts) ecosystems remains understudied. Here, we reviewed and integrated the previous findings of horizontal and vertical eDNA dispersal in lentic and marine ecosystems. We showed the lack of studies in these ecosystems and substantial variabilities among their results, which could be induced by a variety of ecological, hydrological, and geographical factors. We also re-analyzed the previous studies to estimate the rates of horizontal eDNA dispersal in lentic and marine ecosystems, indicating that eDNA particles can reach substantially farther in the oceans and coasts than in the ponds and lakes. The literature review and analysis suggested that the level of eDNA dispersal influenced the resolution of eDNA signals to reflect the spatial community structures, which could further pose positive and negative impacts on the eDNA sampling strategy. Future efforts to understand such technical background and relate eDNA dispersal dynamics to environmental parameters will help properly interpret the eDNA detection results and make eDNA analysis more effective for conservation and environmental management.
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spelling doaj-art-69d19160b2ba47f0b7f28ca1a681a9ce2025-08-20T02:20:15ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2025-05-0117411346910.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113469Spatial dispersal of environmental DNA particles in lentic and marine ecosystems: An overview and synthesisToshiaki S. Jo0Hiroaki Murakami1Ryosuke Nakadai2Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 5-3-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083, Japan; Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University: 36- 1, Yoshida‑honmachi, Sakyo‑ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto 606‑8501, Japan; Corresponding author.Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1, Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi 980-8572, JapanFaculty of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-7, Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa 240-8501, JapanKnowledge of the transport of environmental DNA (eDNA) particles, including its downstream transport, dispersal, and deposition, is crucial for properly assessing the spatial scale of its signals in the field. Despite the relative progress in research on riverine eDNA transport, the mechanism of eDNA dispersal in lentic (ponds and lakes) and marine (oceans and coasts) ecosystems remains understudied. Here, we reviewed and integrated the previous findings of horizontal and vertical eDNA dispersal in lentic and marine ecosystems. We showed the lack of studies in these ecosystems and substantial variabilities among their results, which could be induced by a variety of ecological, hydrological, and geographical factors. We also re-analyzed the previous studies to estimate the rates of horizontal eDNA dispersal in lentic and marine ecosystems, indicating that eDNA particles can reach substantially farther in the oceans and coasts than in the ponds and lakes. The literature review and analysis suggested that the level of eDNA dispersal influenced the resolution of eDNA signals to reflect the spatial community structures, which could further pose positive and negative impacts on the eDNA sampling strategy. Future efforts to understand such technical background and relate eDNA dispersal dynamics to environmental parameters will help properly interpret the eDNA detection results and make eDNA analysis more effective for conservation and environmental management.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25003991BiomonitoringConservation managementDispersalEnvironmental DNA (eDNA)LakeMarine
spellingShingle Toshiaki S. Jo
Hiroaki Murakami
Ryosuke Nakadai
Spatial dispersal of environmental DNA particles in lentic and marine ecosystems: An overview and synthesis
Ecological Indicators
Biomonitoring
Conservation management
Dispersal
Environmental DNA (eDNA)
Lake
Marine
title Spatial dispersal of environmental DNA particles in lentic and marine ecosystems: An overview and synthesis
title_full Spatial dispersal of environmental DNA particles in lentic and marine ecosystems: An overview and synthesis
title_fullStr Spatial dispersal of environmental DNA particles in lentic and marine ecosystems: An overview and synthesis
title_full_unstemmed Spatial dispersal of environmental DNA particles in lentic and marine ecosystems: An overview and synthesis
title_short Spatial dispersal of environmental DNA particles in lentic and marine ecosystems: An overview and synthesis
title_sort spatial dispersal of environmental dna particles in lentic and marine ecosystems an overview and synthesis
topic Biomonitoring
Conservation management
Dispersal
Environmental DNA (eDNA)
Lake
Marine
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25003991
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AT ryosukenakadai spatialdispersalofenvironmentaldnaparticlesinlenticandmarineecosystemsanoverviewandsynthesis